The iPhone 3G gets hacked

Only five days after its official launch, the iPhone 3G has been hacked.

Brazilian company DesbloqueioBr claims to be the first to hack the iPhone to allow its use on mobile carriers other than those currently offering it. The hack, demonstrated in a YouTube video uploaded by the company, will allegedly allow iPhone 3G owners to use the phone on any carrier.

Using a similar method to the TurboSIM solution used for the original iPhone, DesbloqueioBr's hack involves both a hardware SIM attachment and a firmware alteration to bypass the iPhone's security measures. The hack fools the phone into thinking it's connected to an accepted carrier, allowing users to call, SMS and use data on their desired carrier.

Apple has announced plans to release the iPhone 3G in Brazil, but at present there are no release dates or carrier information. Those who wish to use the hack must first source the phone from a country where it's sold. The company says it will charge between $US250 and $375 to hack the phone.

DesbloqueioBr is the first company to officially release a hack for the iPhone. However, at least two well-known groups within the iPhone hacking community are working on software to unlock and 'jailbreak' the iPhone 3G, making it capable of not only working on any desired carrier, but also of running unauthorised third-party applications.

The closest to a full software hack appears to be the iPhone Dev Team. The anonymous group of hackers are currently working on both a software hack and a program that allows users to install customised firmware on their iPhone. The group is currently locked in a war of words with former member Geohot, who has also voiced intentions to release a software hack.

The best known iPhone hacker, Zibri, has not revealed any plans to release a software hack, though he has demonstrate successful hacks on the majority of betas leading up to the final release of the iPhone's 2.0 firmware.

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